Car-coupling



(No Model.)

R. F. LUDLOW. GAR COUPLING.

No. 519,724; Patented May 15,1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RODNEY F. LUDLOW, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,724, dated May 15, 1894.

Application filed February 3, 1894- Serial No. 498,992. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RODNEY F. LUDLOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car couplings wherein a pivoted swinging knuckle is mounted in the draw-head. In this class of car couplings resort has been had to the use of inclined planes so arranged that the knuckle would, when the locking device was withdrawn, swing outward to uncoupled position by the action of the inclin cs. These inclined planes have been variously located, but in all of them the knuckle traveled down on the inclines in swinging from coupled to uncoupled position. These planes producefriction which interferes with the rapid and certain outward swinging of the knuckle; and they are liable to become clogged up.

The object of my invention is to do away with this frictional sliding upon inclined planes and to provide a new and improved means of automatically swinging the knuckle outward through the action of its gravity.

'This means consists, essentially, in combining with the draw-head and swinging knuckle one or more tumblers which when the knuckle is closed stand slightly out of the vertical, and when the knuckle is unlocked turn down toward the horizontal by the weight of the knuckle, and in so turning rotate the knuckle on its pivotal axis.

Another feature of my invention is in the means for canting the pin that locks the knuckle, as will hereinafter be described.

Inthe accompanying drawings on which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts: Figure 1, represents a plan view of a coupling involving my invention; Fig. 2, a sectional view on the line as as of Fig. 1 showing the knuckle locked or in pulling coupled position; Fig. 8, a similar section on the line or a: of Fig. 1 with the knuckle unlocked and in uncoupled position; Fig. i, an enlarged sectional View on the line y 1 of Fig.1 with the knuckle in the same position as shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a similar view to Fig. 4 on the same sectional line, with the knuckle in the position shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6,a fragmentary plan view of the lower jaw of the draw-head showing the recesses therein and the tumblers in the recesses; Fig. 7, a side and edge view of a tumbler; and Fig.8, an elevation and end view of a modified form of tumbler.

The letter A designates the draw-bar haw ing a head B of the usual form, in which is pivoted a knuckle C on a pin D. The inner arm of the knuckle has an orificeEbywhich the knuckle is locked in coupled position by the aid of a locking pin F which fits openings in the head B. This pin has a stud or projection G which occupies a groove H in the aperture E when the pin is down, while the pin-hole in the head is grooved in the upper part, as shown at I, leaving a shoulder J, against which the stud G strikes when the pin is elevated as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the pin is canted to one side of the hole E in the knuckle and made to rest upon the knuckle. The pin-hole in the head is inclined, as shown at K, in the part opposite to the groove I to permit the pin to cant over. Thus the pin is supported on the knuckle arm ready to drop back into the hole E when the knuckle is swung again to coupled position.

The lower jaw L of the draw-head is provided with one or more recesses for the tumblers presently to be described. One tumbler and one recess are sufficient, as I have ascertained by trials, but more than :one of each may be used. In the present instance I illustrate and describe two tumblers and a recess for each one. These recesses are at diametrical parts of the pivot-pin hole. These recesses, M, form a shoulder 0 at one end, and are inclined part of the way, as shown at Q, to accommodate the tumbler when the knuckle is in uncoupled position. The recess is also large enough to receive the lug R on the knuckle C when in this position. This lug forms a shoulder S for the tumbler. The tumbler T may be of any desired form and material, but the preferred form is that shown in Figs. 4. to 7 inclusive, wherein it is rectangular in cross section with its ends rounded 0K in the form of a portion of a sphere or ball. The shoulder O and the shoulder S are fashioned to substantially match the contour of the ends of the tumbler. It will be observed that these tumblers are completely housed, that the recesses are inaccessible to water and foreign substances generally, and that the tumblers may be easily applied, while they can not become dislodged as the pivot pin D serves to keep them in the recesses. Other means maybe employed to retain them in the recesses, but the pin serves this purpose very well and is therefore preferred. The position of the tumblers is such that the strains which tend to draw the knuckle out of the head do not act against the tumblers, but rather pull away from them, so that they can never be jammed, or the shoulders with which they engage be injured.

When taken in connection with the above, the operation, which is as follows, will be readily understood: When the locking pin F is withdrawn the knuckle will immediately swing outward because its gravity causes it to bear down on the tumblers and move them 7 from the inclined standing position,shown in Fig. 4, to the lying down position, shown in Fig. 5. As they thus change position they necessarily move the lugs R in a circular direction around the axis of the pin D, thereby causing the whole knuckle to turn or rotate as it settles down. WVhen a knuckle is to be set in coupled position it simply rides up as the tumblers swing from their lower to their upper positions.

The device is very strong, it works with minimum friction, is positive and perfectly automatic, and is perfectly effective to open the knuckle when the draw-bar is at a much greater angle than the angle ofany incline or grade known to practical railroading, as I have ascertained by repeated tests.

Havingthus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw-head, of a. knuckle'pivoted therein, and a tumbler which acts on the knuckle to swing it outward by the gravitating force of the knuckle acting on the tumblers.

2. In acar coupling, the combination with a draw-head, of a knuckle pivoted therein, and a tumbler between the head and knuckle and which acts on the knuckle to swing it outward by the gravitating force of the knuckle acting on the tumbler.

3. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, and a knuckle pivoted therein, a

pivot pin therefor, and a tumbler, located in immediate proximity to the pivot pin, which acts to swing the knuckle outward by the gravity of the knuckle acting on the tumbler.

4. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw-head having an opening for the pivot pin and one or more recesses around said opening, of a knuckle pivoted in the head, a pivot pin fitting the knuckle and said opening, and one or more tumblers fitted in said recesses and engaging with .the knuckle, for

the gravity of the knuckle, whereby the knuckle is swung outward. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RODNEY F. LUDLOIV.

Witnesses:

OLIVER H. MILLER, W. M. MONAIR. 

